Queen Elizabeth will not attend the 2022 Commonwealth Day service.
The 95-year-old monarch “has asked” her eldest son and successor, Prince Charles, 73, to “represent Her Majesty” at the ceremony taking place at Westminster Abbey on Monday (14.03.22).
A statement from Buckingham Palace read: "After discussing the arrangements with the Royal Household, The Queen has asked The Prince of Wales to represent Her Majesty at the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on Monday.”
According to the statement, Her Majesty will carry out “other planned engagements”.
It continued: "The Queen will continue with other planned engagements, including in-person audiences, in the week ahead.”
The Queen’s absence - who contracted COVID-19 with “mild cold-like symptoms” - is believed to not be because of illness, but for her comfort during travelling and being at the service.
Her Majesty has been using a cane and has suffered from mobility issues recently.
The event - which celebrates the international arrangement between the former members of the British Empire in places as far as Africa, Asia and the Caribbean - will be attended by Prince Charles, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Queen’s first cousin Princess Alexandra. The Queen’s other cousin, The Duke of Gloucester and his wife the Duchess of Gloucester can no longer attend due to the Duke testing positive for virus.
Her Majesty - who tested positive on February 20 - missed a number of virtual engagements due to health issues.
In October 2021, she was forced to not travel to North Ireland on doctor’s orders and spent a night in the hospital. In addition, she was “deeply disappointed” to miss the Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph in November because of a sprained back.
On March 7, the Queen participated in her first in-person engagement since contracting COVID-19, an audience with Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada at Windsor Castle.
